King-post for car-brakes



W; M. JOHNS. KING POST FOR GAR BRAKES.

No; 470,682. Patented Mar. 15, 1892.

ifzyerzn' 'l'zam JZJo zfls UNITED STATES I PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM M. OHNS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

KING-POST FOR CAR-BRAKES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent'No. 470,682, dated March 15, 1892. Application filed May 26, 1891. Serial No. 394,145. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM M. JOHNS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ohicago, Cook county, Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in King- Posts for Oar-Brakes, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to king-posts such as in trussed brake-beams are interposed between the beam and thetruss-rod, and is an improvement upon the device described in Patent No. 430,957, issued June 24:, 1890, to Dennis P. Slattery and myself. It is often desirable or even necessary to have the king-post or truss-block so constructed as to allow of its rotation to permit the operatinglever it'supports to be changed from a righthand to a left-hand attachment, and vice versa, and, further, to provide it with means whereby the amount of its rotation in either' direction is limited or determined, while the lugs or other means used for this purpose are inclosed or housed to prevent the injurious action of the atmosphere and the entrance of dust and other external particles that would interfere with the proper rotation of the swivel. Furthermore, it-is desirable to have such swivel constructed with the greatest lightness and economy consistent with the necessary strength. All of these advantages I secure in a king-post constructed in accordance with my present invention, the particular features of which consist of the eoncavoconvex formation of the swivel-bars, whereby the greatest lightness consistent with strength is obtained, the suitably housed or inclosed lugs, buffers, or other means used to limit the rotation of the swivel, and the method of expanding or flanging the ends of the swivel to fasten together the parts of the post, so as to permit the desired rotation; and my invention consists in the features and details of construction hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a brake-beam provided with my improved king-post; Fig. 2, a perspective view of such post; Fig. 3, ahorizontal cross-section thereof;

Figst and 5, sections on lines 4 and 5 of Fig.

3, respectively.

The brake-beam A, truss-rod l3, and brakeheads 0 may be of any of the ordinary kinds, and, since they form no part of my present inably parallel bars E is less liability vention and their construction will be understood from an inspection of the drawings, they require and will receive no further descrip-. tion.

In making my improved king-post I first construct a preferably T- shaped sleeve or casting D of iron or other suitable material. This is adapted to be slipped over and secured firmly to the brake-beam, as shown in Fig. 1, arid is provided with a neck or shank d and a collar D. In this collar are formed recesses cl. (See Fig. 4..) I next construct the swivel-piece E, composed of two prefer- E, provided with integral collars e 6, one at either end, as shown.

' The collar e is provided with a neck or extension 6', which projects into the shank of the T-shaped sleeve and is secured therein by upsetting or flanging the end of the neck against the internal beveled portion of the shank, as shown at 6'. This collare' is further provided with lugs D adapted to fit into the recesses d for the purpose hereinafter described. The collar (2 at the other end of the swivel is provided with a neck f, which projects into a sleeve F, being held therein by flanging or upsetting, as shown at f. This sleeve is provided with a recess or recesses F, through which the truss-rod passes, as shown in Fig. 1, and with perforated lugs G to afford a seat for the bolt to which the safety-chain is attached to support the brake-beam.

The inside of the shank of the T-shaped sleeve and the sleeveF are'beveled, affording a flanged seat for the ends of the swivelnecks, which are expanded or upset by any suitable device, as above described. The opening d in the T shaped sleeve and the open end of the sleeve F permit free access for the purpose of flanging or upsetting the ends of the swivel-necks. This construction affords a far more perfect bearing than could be obtained by means of riveting, since there of breakage, the bearings being continuous, and there are no parts to come out and be lost.

The swivel-bars are preferably made concave-convex, with their concave sides ontward and their convex sides inward, as this form affords great strength to resist the strain to which it is subjected, while at the same time permitting of a much lighter construction. Through these swivel-bars are made distance to the right or left, the complete rotation of this section being prevented by the lugs D" contacting with the ends of the recesses in which they move, and which recesses, being of a certain predetermined length,will stop the rotation of the swivel portion at any desired point. The lugs are protected from atmospheric influence and the interference of dust or external objects by means of these recesses, the two collars fitting closely together, as will be obvious from an inspection of Fig. 3. If it be desired to change the connecting-rods from a right to a left hand attachment, or vice versa, the swivel can be so thrown or revolved as to allow of this, but no further, by reason of the contact of the lugs with the ends of the recesses. In this way the swivel is kept from rotating so far as to bind against and prevent the free movement of the operating-lever. It should be noted as an important feature of my invention that when the swivel is to be rotated to change the lever from a right to a left hand connection, or vice versa, this can be done instantly and without loosening or removing anyof the parts of the beam or taking it from its position on the car.

While I have shown and described the recesses as being formed in the collaron the T- shaped sleeve, it is evident that they might equally as well be formed in the collar on the swivel portion, the lugs in such case being transferred from the latter collar to the collar on the T-shaped sleeve and the recesses moving on the lugs; or, if desired, these lugs and recesses might be applied to the collars at the other end of the king-post, the operation being the same in either case.

Although I have shown and described the preferred form of constructing my improved king-post, I do not desire to be understood as limiting myself to minor features, exact forms, or details of construction; but, on the contrary, I intend to deviate therefrom and substitute equivalents, as circumstances may require or render expedient.

I claim- 1. In a car-brake, a king-post comprising fixed end pieces and bars rotatably supported therein and provided with means for limiting the rotation of such bars in' either direction, substantially as described.

2. In a car-brake, a king-post comprising fixed end pieces and bars rotating therein, the king-post being provided with suitable lugs and recesses adapted to engage with each other to limit the movement of the bars in either direction, substantially as described.

3. Ina car-brake, a king-post comprising a T-shaped sleeve adapted to engage with the beam, a bifurcated sleeve adapted to receive the truss-rod, and swivel-bars adapted to support the brake-lever and rotatably secured to such sleeves, substantially as described.

4. In a car-brake, a king-post comprising a T-shaped sleeve adapted to engage with the beam, a bifurcated sleeve adapted. to receive the truss-rod, and swivel-bars adapted to support the brake-lever and rotatably secured to such sleeves and provided with means whereby the rotation of the swivel-bars is limited in either direction, substantially as described.

5. In a car-brake, the combination of a swivel formed with concave or convex side bars and sleeves supporting such swivel and in which it revolves, substantially as described.

6. In a ear-brake, a king-post comprisinga swivel having its ends projecting into terminal sleeves and expanded or flanged against the inner sides of such sleeves, whereby the sleeves and swivel are rotatably connected together, substantially as described.

7. In a car-brake, a king-post composed of a swivel having two parallel concave or convex side bars provided with bearings for the operating-lever, a collar at each end, and necks projecting into and flanged against terminal sleeves, one of which is provided with grooves of fixed length engaging with lugs upon one of the collars, substantially as described.

8. The combination of a brake-beam, a truss-rod, a swiveling king-post adapted to rotate within determined limits, and an operating-lever fulcrumed in said post, substantially as described.

. WILLIAM M. JOHNS. \Vitnesses:

GEORGE S. PAYSON, SAMUEL E. HIBBEN. 

